Yeasayer? No, I Sayer.

Always look out for the bright new thing. That’s going to be the advice I give to my son when he gets a bit older, along with “No, drinking that mescal really isn’t a good idea”. Yeasayer have been getting loads of good press for “Odd Blood”; people saying it’s this year’s Animal Collective.

I think that’s about right. Animal Collective always struck me as a band with big brains but little soul, and without the keen sense of melody and tone that makes ostensibly similar bands like Grizzly Bear so damned wonderful. So it is with Yeasayer. Now, I’m the kind of guy who needs to compare and contrast, and here is my Yeasayer C&C:

The album’s out on 8th February; maybe once I’ve heard the whole thing properly it’ll start to settle in. But I tried that with Animal Collective and it just didn’t click. In other words, everyone else raves about them whilst I sit on the sidelines going “What are you all on about?”. In the meantime, try “Ambling Alp” for yourself (below), and if you’re still Yea-Curious, you can download “O.N.E.” from their website here (you need to give your email address, which seems a fair trade).

I kind of fall into the same camp of these bands never clicking (Animal Collective especially). I think you described it right with the “band with big brains but little soul” comment. Sometimes people over think it and that, in turn, ruins it.